Hand pressure released container opening



Sept. 15, 1953 P. E. BRUSIENSKI HAND PRESSURE RELEASED CONTAINER OPENINGFiled Feb. 24, 1948 E9111 If Myrna/r1 INVENTOR.

ATE/BYE! Patented Sept. 15, 1953 HAND PRESS'URlg RELEASED CONTAINERPENIN Paul E. Brusienski, Ramona, Calif.

Application February 24, 1948, Serial No. 10,296

Claims.

This invention has to do with improved fluid tight container closuresdesigned to permit the opening of sealed containers by mere deflectionof the cover.

It is customary to remove canned liquid, powders, and other pourableproducts from their containers by first punching holes in the lid andthen pouring the contents from these holes. This process consumesconsiderable time and often results in unnecessary spilling due to theirregularity of the openings usually made by punching. A jagged holeoften causes an appreciable percentage of the liquid to spill downwardlyalong the outer can surface and be lost, whereas a regular hole wouldhave made possible accurate pouring.

The present invention obviates the above difliculties by providing a lidin which the desired number of previously sealed. holes are opened bymere manual deflection of the lid. No key, tool, or mechanical device ofany kind is required to thus release the contents for use. To attainsucha result, the cover is made of a flexible material, such as thin metal,plastic, rubberized material or the like, and it is the relatively smallamount of deflection made possible by this flexibility which is employedto open the lid outlets.

There may be one, two, or more openings in the cover, all of which arenormally closed by valve means until it is desired to open the can anduse its contents. These openings are preferably situated near theperiphery of the container cover, in order that they may be onlyslightly movable upon deflection of the central portion of the cover.The valve or valves may be carried by an operating bar having a portionsituated adjacent the central region of the lid to follow its deflectionand transmit movement to the valve or valves. The bar may be securednear the center of the lid, or at another position on the lid in such amanner as to pass its center. It i also contemplated that, for someuses, the bar may not be permanently secured to the lid at any point.

The flexible container cover may be of such design and material as toremain in the deflected position after opening of the valves. Thissimple arrangement is preferred for such containers as milk cans,holding a rather inexpensive product which will ordinarily all be usedat the time of opening. When it is desired that the valves automaticallyclose upon release of the cover deflecting pressure, the lid may be madeof a more resilient material. The valve may then be successively openedmany times, and each time it will return to closed position when thedeflecting force is released. Yielding means may be added to supplementthe resiliency of the cover and assure. its returning to the closedposition. It is also contemplated that manual means may be provided foreasily returning the cover and valve to closed position in the absenceof cover resiliency.

The above and further features and objects of the present invention willbe better understood from the following detailed description of thetypical embodiments illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of can top;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of the form shown in Fig. 1,taken on line 22 of Fig. 1 and showing the valves in closed position;

Fig. 3 is also a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 22 of Fig.1, but shows the lid or upper wall of the can deflected downwardly tothe valve opening position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a variational form ofclosure;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section of a further variational form;

Fig. 6. is a plan view of a further variational form similar to. that ofFig. 1 butv having only one opening;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 'l--'! of Fig. 6;and

Fig. 8 is a, fragmentary vertical section of a variational formemploying a, spring to supple ment the resiliency of the containercover.

Referring first to-Figs. 1. 2 and 3, a preferred form of the presentinvention is there shown adapted for use as ,a circular cover or upperwall i3 for cylindrical can ill. The normally convex cover 13 may besecured, to the can in any customary manner, as by soldering annularlyat H. The form of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 employs a bar 12 disposed beneath thecover it and extending diametrically across that cover. Bar [2 issecured at two spaced points it near its center to the central portionof the cover l3. For simplicity and cheapness of manufacture, theattachment at these. points is preferably by spot weld. Bar I2 istapered toward its extremities, and terminates in upwardly extendingvalve members 15. The cover [3 contains openings it, which are normallyclosed by valves l5, as seen in Fig. 2. At the cannery, a sealingcompound, such as solder, tin, plastic, cement, or the like, may beapplied to openings Hito form frangible fluid tight seals or bondsbetween the valves and cover at the openings. A will be appreciated,these seals or bonds serve-the dualpurposes of maintaining the valves inclosed condition and forming fluid tight seals at the openings, untilthe valves are actuated and the bonds broken by deflection of the cover.Cover I3 is flexible and therefore deflectible between the position ofFigs. 2 and 3.

When it is desired to use the contents of the can, it is merelynecessary to exert downward pressure against the central portion of thecover, as at I! in Fig. 3. Such pressure deflects the cover downwardlyor inwardly to also move the bar and valves downwardly. This breaks thefluid seal and permits the user to pour the contents of the can out ofone of the openings [6. The cover may be constructed of resilientmaterial in order to automatically close the valves upon release of thedownward pressure, or it may be so designed as to remain in thedeflected position.

Fig. 4 shows a variational form of closure best adapted for use withcans containing coffee, powders, or other non-liquid products, whichmake it desirable that the valve move a maximum distance from its seat.Cover 59 is there shown applied to container [8, and has but onerelatively large opening 20. The cover is defiectible downwardly fromthe full line position to the dotted line position. To lend rigidity tothe cover in the vicinity of opening 20, an annular corrugation 2i mayencircle that opening. The form of Fig. 4 makes possible amultiplication of the cover deflection by securing one end of bar 23 tocover 19 at 24 and thereby causing the bar to pivot about that point.Shaft 25 is secured to the center of cover 59 and extends downwardlyadjacent to bar 23. This shaft bears a transversely extending pin 26which engages slot 21 in the bar to transmit movement of the cover andshaft to the bar. Head 49 of the shaft is welded or otherwise secured tothe cover, and carries a ring 29 for manually closing the valve.Resilient washer 28 is disposed between cover 19 and bar 23 to preventundesired relative movement between these two parts.

The valve 33 is sealed in position after the container has been filled.The user may break this seal to permit pouring of the contents fromopening 20 by merely depressing the central portion of the cover l9. Ifit is desired to again close the outlet valve, this may be accomplishedby pulling upwardly upon ring 29 to move the cover. bar, and valve backto their closed positions.

Fig. 5 shows a form in which container 30 is closed by lid 3| bearingbar 32 on its exposed or upper rather than its under side. In this form,the cover is normally in the illustrated downwardly extending position.Bar 32 is secured at points 33 to the center of the cover, and bears avalve 34 at one or both ends for closing corresponding openings 35 inthe cover. The user may open valves 34 by pulling upwardly on the bar atopening 36.

Figs. 6 and '7 show a further variational form of cover 3'! forcontainer 38 in which only one opening 39 is required. Bar 40 is securedat points 4| near the center of the cover and extends to a point beneathopening 39. It carries valve 42, which presents a beveled surface to theopening in order that slight thermostatic changes in bar length may notunseat it to break the seal. Cover 3'! has a series of annular angularlydisposed steps 43 advancing outwardly and toward its center to permitmaximum deflectibility of the central portion of the cover.

In Fig. 8, one end of spring 44 is spot welded or otherwise secured atpoints 45 between bar 46 and cover 41. The spring bears upwardly againstthe cover at 48 to assure return of the cover and valve to the normalvalve closing position upon release of downward pressure against thecover. Strap 50, secured to the cover, transmits upward movement of thecover to the bar.

It is preferred that the bar, whatever its shape. be secured to thecover at two points as in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8, in order toprevent undesirable pivoting which would result about one point. It iscontemplated, however, that the bar may be secured to the cover only bythe scaling material around the valves. In that case, deflection of thecover breaks this seal, and the bar drops to the bottom of thecontainer.

In each form of the invention, the cover is of inwardly recessedformation to form a cavity entirely containing the central outwardlyprojecting portion of the wall in a manner protecting that centralportion from accidental deflection.

I claim:

1. A container closure comprising a flexible wall, an operating memberextending across the center of said wall and having a pair of ends atopposite sides of the center, said wall having a pair of openingsopposite said ends respectively, and a pair of valves carried by saidends of the operating member and normally closing said openings, saidvalves being movable by said operating member to open positions uponinward deflection of said wall at its center.

2. A container closure comprising a flexible wall, an operating memberextending across the center of said wall and having a pair of ends atopposite sides of the center, said wall having a pair of openingsopposite said ends respectively, a pair of valves carried by said endsof the operating member and normally closing said openings, and meansforming rupturable fluid tight seals substantially integrating each ofsaid valves and said wall about the opening to prevent fluid passagethrough said openings, said valves being movable by said operatingmember to open positions upon inward deflection of said wall at itscenter.

3. A container closure comprising a flexible wall, an operating memberextending across the center of said wall and having a pair of ends atopposite sides of the center, said wall having a pair of openingsopposite said ends respectively, means securing said member to said wallat its center, and a pair of valves carried by said ends of theoperating member and normally closing said openings, said valves beingmovable by said operating member to open positions upon inwarddeflection of said wall at its center.

4. A container closure of the character described, comprising a flexiblecircular wall, a bar extending diametrically across said wall, meanssecuring said bar near its center to the central portion of said wall,said Wall having a pair of openings positioned opposite the ends of thebar and near the periphery of the wall, and a pair of valves carried bysaid bar normally closing said openings and movable by said bar to openposition in response to deflection of said central portion of the wall.

5. A container closure of the character described, comprising a flexiblecircular wall, a bar extending diametrically across said wall. meanssecuring said bar near its center to the central portion of said wall,said wall having a pair of openings positioned opposite the ends of thebar and near the periphery of the wall, a pair 5 of valves carried bysaid bar normally closing said References Cited in the file of thispatent openings and movable bysaid bar to open posi- UNITED STATESPATENTS tion 1n response to deflectmn of said central por- D tion of thewall, a pair of rupturable fluid tight ggzg B j J 1 2 81900 bondsintegrating said valves and said flexible 5 1 555529 gg g 1925 Wallabout said openings to prevent fiuld passage 19791823 Clark Nov. 6 1944through the openings and to initially maintain the valves in closedcondition, said bonds being preformed for rupture by the force exertedagainst said valves in an opening direction upon 10 said wall inducedmovement of the member.

PAUL E. BRUSIENSKI.

